Night lamp



R. L. DECKER May 14, 1957 NIGHT LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1955 Ray L. Decker INVENTOR. 403'".

R. L. DECKER May 14, 1957 NIGHT LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 15, 1955 Fig.2

Ray L Decker IN VEN TOR. m

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NIGHT LAMP Ray L. Decker, Denver, Colo.

Application November 15, 1955, Serial No. 546,998

2 Claims. (Cl. 128-1) This invention relates generally to lamp constructions and is more particularly concerned with a novel light lamp tending to lull children to sleep which includes a plurality of illuminated animal forms passing a viewing window in which the animal forms appear to jump a simulated fence by movement past said window.

A further object of invention is conformance with that set forth above is to provide a night lamp of the character set forth which is readily and economically manufactured, effective in use, and readily acceptable for the purpose intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently .apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the novel night lamp;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the endless scenery member of the night lamp.

The novel night lamp is indicated generally at and includes a suitably decorated housing member indicated generally at 12, said housing member being disclosed as circular, however, it may be of any suitable cross section configuration, and including therein a viewing window 14 which may be rectangular as disclosed, circular or suitable configuration, said viewing window being preferably covered by a suitable transparent material such as plastic, etc. and having formed thereon a simulated fence 16.

The housing member 12 includes a bottom portion 18 having an upwardly opening suitable shaft support element 20 rotatably carrying therein a vertically extending support shaft 22 rotatably supported at its upper end in a suitable journal portion 24 of a transversely extending support element 26 of any suitable character. The housing member 12 may have extending across the top a suitable top wall 23 having suitable aperture portions 30 extending therethrough providing for the escape of heated air within said housing member.

A suitable electrically driven motor 32 is suitably supported on the bottom wall 18 and has an upwardly extending driving shaft 34 extending therefrom which includes an integrally secured bevel drive gear 36 on the upper end thereof. The bevel gear element 38 is suitably secured in intermeshing engagement with the gear 36, said gear 38 being secured in any suitable manner of an intermediate portion of the vertical shaft 22.

An illuminating light assembly 40 including a bulb 42 and a suitable socket 44 is electrically connected to States Patent 0 the motor 32'by means of an electrical conduit 46, said light being lit when the motor is driven, the light and motor are driven by means of an electrical conduit 43 which will include a conventional electrical male plug element for securement in a conventional outlet.

The shaft 22 includes an adjustably positionable crossshaped support assembly comprising a vertical securing hub 52 securable on said shaft 22 by means of a suitable transverse nut screw element 54, said support hub 52 including a plurality of right angularly disposed tubular support sockets 56 having fixedly secured therein radially extending support shafts 58 which are rotatable past the viewing window 14 when the shaft 22 is rotated.

An annular or tubular endless scenery member 60 including a simulated background portion 62 formed thereon is rotatably supported on radial support shafts 58 by means of suitable aperture portions 64 extending through said endless scenery member, and rotatably supported on the ends 66 of said support shafts 58 are a plurality of freely pivotal animal form elements 68 which may take the configuration of a lamb or any other suitable animal, said animal forms 68 being automatically moved through a simulated jumping movement whereby they appear to jump the simulated fence 16 on the housing member. Each of the animal forms include a vertical or upwardly extending rod element 70 of any suitable material which is suitably secured on the rear end of said animal form, the rear end being that which is the last to pass by the viewing window upon rotation of the shaft 22, and .a suitable abutment peg element 72 suitably secured in inward extending relationship adjacent the nearest edge 74 of the viewing window, the nearest edge being that edge which the animal form first appears, said peg element 72 being in the rotational path of the rod element 70 whereby after the animal form appears in the viewing window 14 said rod element 70 will be engaged by the peg element 72 tilting the forward or head portion 76 upwardly whereby the animal form 68 appears to jump over the simulated fence 16, and after the rod element passes past the peg '72 the head or forward portion of the animal form will move downwardly in a pivotal movement about the end of the support rod 58 thus completing the simulated jumping movement.

Various positional directional terms such as front, rear, etc. are utilized herein to have only a relative connotation to aid in describing the device and are not intended to require any. particular orientation with respect to any external elements.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Wha is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A night lamp comprising a housing member, a viewing window in a side wall portion of said housing member, a vertical shaft rotatably supported in said housing member, power means in said housing member for rotating said shaft about its longitudinal axis, a plurality of radially extending support shaft fixedly secured on said vertical shaft and rotatable past said viewing window, an endless scenery member supported on said radial shafts for continuous rotation past said viewing window, a simulated animal form rotatably supported on an end portion of said radial shafts between said scenery member and the viewing window, means on said animal forms for engagement upon passing said viewing Window supporting a jumping motion to said animal form, a simulated fence on said housing member and said viewing window over which said animal form appears to jump, and light means contained in said housing member for illuminating said animal form and viewing window.

2. A night lamp as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means on said animal form comprises a vertically extending rod element secured on the rear, end portion of said animal form, an inwardly extending peg element secured adjacent a vertical edge of said viewing window for engagement with said rod element on said animal form for pivoting said animal forms upwardly about said radial support shafts and permitting free downward pivotal movement for simulating a jumping motion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

